In the past, various types of impact fences have been produced using a variety of fencing and support mechanism. Many of these have included netting made of interlocking cable strands which, although effective, are very expensive to produce, install, and maintain. Prior attempts at using a less expensive material, such as standard chain link fencing, have, for the most part, been unsuccessful, in that the support systems used for the chain link fencing have been inadequate to resist or withstand sufficient loading upon impact being imposed thereagainst.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel impact fence which uses inexpensive materials, such as chain link fencing, yet is constructed in such a manner that it is capable of absorbing high-impact loads, and is economical to construct and maintain.
Yet another object is to provide such an impact fence which has cable assemblies for mounting the chain link fencing, which cable assemblies include novel friction-braking devices, with loose, curved portions of the cable intermediate friction-braking devices to provide controlled absorption of impact imposed upon the fence.
These and other objects and advantages will become more fully apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings described below.